Never Really Winning
by PureAtHeart
Summary: Damon Marx never thought that he would be reaped as District 9's male tribute in the 26th Hunger Games. But suddenly, he's taken from his normal life and swept into the madness known as the Capitol, as well as their creepy ways. Will he make it out alive?
1. Chapter 1

**HEY! This is my brand new story! (I don't know why I'm doing this to myself) It is based off a character that I created for "The Mentors" by glb-03. So, obviously he's going to win, but pretend I didn't say that! :D**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Hunger Games. But I do own Damon, Dawn, and the other characters I create. :)**

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><p>"Damon. Wake up."<p>

Dawn's voice is awkwardly close to me. Of course, I can tell that her face is only inches from my own. She's going to try and scare me. So, instead of opening my eyes, my hands inch up and pinch her sides. She shrieks and throws herself off of me, landing hard on the ground. Laughing, I prop myself up on one elbow and turn to face her. "Backfired!"

She tries to keep a straight face, but every time she looks at me, she can't help but giggle. Dawn looks at her elbow and proudly states, "It's developing a bruise." And then she says, "If I go to the Capitol today, I don't want to look pretty for them. I hope it swells."

I sigh and push back my blanket, hopping off the bed and kneeling down beside her. I take her elbow in my hands, examining it, and say, "It's not going to swell." She curses under her breath. "You won't be going to the Capitol today."

"How do you know that?"

"We twins have that special power that warns us if one will be put in danger. Remember when you saved me from that cougar all those years ago?" True story. When I was twelve, I decided to hunt early in the woods that day to help my dad work less. He was exhausted, so I was going to take some game to the Keepers of the Kill (workers who preserve, pack, and ship off meats to the Capitol). Hunting is what we do here in District 9. But anyways, I was wandering through the woods with a bow and arrow strapped to my back when, suddenly, a doe came sprinting from one direction and ran right past me. Being the careless kid I was, I brushed off the panic I saw in that doe's eyes and walked towards the direction it was running from. And that's when I saw it. It was a cougar, chewing on a bloody bone, and it looked up and saw me. It dropped the bone and began stalking towards me. Fear set in as I pulled out my bow and arrow and started to load it, but the cougar was faster. It used its paw to strike away the weapon (and leaving me a scratch on my arm in the process) and then it pushed me to the ground and pinned me down. I swear to you, I saw my life pass before my eyes as the cougar snarled. But right as it was going for the kill, it stopped, the black eyes turned cloudy, and it collapsed. I pushed it off, shaking, and saw the arrow protruding from its back. To my left stood my dad, his bow in hand, and Dawn, who had started crying. Later that night, as I messed around with the bandages that wrapped around my left arm, I asked Dawn how they knew I was in trouble. And she told me that it was a feeling deep inside her; we've been joking about the "power" ever since.

I stroke the thin white line on my left forearm as I remember the memory. "Yeah, I know what you're talking about," Dawn says. "Now then, let's not worry about the reaping and go eat breakfast instead. Okay?" I nod, and she leaves the room so I can get dressed. As I change into brown slacks and a beige colored shirt, I can't help but feel that something bad _will _happen today. Something horrible that I'm not expecting. And I hope, of all things, it has nothing to do with the reaping. I try and shake the feeling off as I exit my room and head over to the kitchen. My father's booming voice greets me.

"I don't even know what happened in that dream. One minute, your mother was there. The next, she was a tree. I have no clue how that happened, or why, but it was very, uh, interesting. Oh, good morning, Damon!" He sits down at the table and begins to eat some bread and cheese. "I was just telling your mother and sister about the dream I had last night. Did you hear?" I nod, chuckling.

"You dreamed that mother was a tree."

Father points to me, his face serious. "Granted, she was a beautiful tree. But, a tree all the same."

I glance over to my mother and say, "How do you feel about this?"

Now, one thing about my mother… She is very quiet. She doesn't really talk a lot, but when she does, it's short and sweet. So, in response to my question, she simply says, "Well, it's your father for you, that for sure." She grins slightly. I smile back as I grab myself a piece of bread, take Dawn's hand, and start to pull her towards the door.

"Let's go," I say.

"Where?"

"You'll see." I grin mischievously and close the door behind us.

Here in District 9, you can venture into the woods about two hundred yards before the fence divides us from District 7. My family lives in the southernmost part of the district. In school, we learned that we live in a place that, long before the infamous Dark Days, was once called Canada. We get lots of snow every single year, and during summer, you usually never sweat.

We finally enter the woods. Dawn doesn't know it, but we are meeting my best friend, Trevor, out here before the reaping. She has a little crush on him. About five minutes later, I spot his shadow around fifteen feet ahead. "Trevor! My man!" I shout.

"What?" Dawn whispers, punching my arm playfully. "You didn't tell me _he _was coming!" I chuckle as he appears from behind a tree, a basket in hand.

"Hey, guys!" Trevor waves, and out of the corner of my eye Dawn's cheeks turn a light shade of pink. "I brought the usual pre-reaping meal," he says, lifting the basket. "Bread, cheese, berries, and some good ole dried deer meat!"

Dawn's eyes go wide. "Wait, you two meet up out here every year with all this food, and have never once thought to invite me? Might as well make up for lost time." She rubs her hands together. "Let's eat!"

"I agree!" Trevor shouts, patting her back before walking off to find a good spot to sit. Dawn's cheeks turn even pinker, and I grin. Trevor and Dawn have a pretty interesting relationship. Dawn has a pretty big crush on him, while he thinks he might be in love every time he sees her. And neither knows how they feel about each other. Except for me, of course.

Trevor tells us from up ahead that he has found a spot to eat, and I recognize it immediately. This is where Dawn and I came to celebrate our 15th birthday earlier this year. I laugh quietly out of merely recognition and plop down onto the ground. When everyone is seated, I take the basket from Trevor and divide the food evenly between the three of us. We start eating, and sit here in silence as the sun creeps its way up the sky.

"Who do you guys think will be reaped today?" Dawn asks.

"No clue. It's a lottery; you can't exactly make predictions," I say, popping a berry into my mouth.

"If one of my friends is reaped, I'm volunteering for them," Dawn whispers.

I shake my head. "No, you aren't. I couldn't live without you." I look to Trevor. "You haven't said a word. Any thoughts?"

"You two know I couldn't volunteer for anyone. I would, but I can't bring myself to do it. Not after…" His voice cracks before he can finish, and I pat his leg reassuringly. Trevor lost his older brother to the 24th Games. He was killed in the bloodbath. His parents still struggle to recover from the loss of their eldest son. I'd have a hard time if I lost Dawn as well. That's why Trevor wouldn't be able to volunteer for anyone (personally, I'd rather go to the Capitol myself than have him volunteer for me).

"Hey," I say. "You know the best thing about today is secretly making fun of our dang escort, Chanel, right?"

"Yes! Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds—"

We all finish in sync, "—be ever in your favor!" The three of us burst out laughing, and every time one of us tries to stop, it sets us all off again. By the time we finish, my sides are killing me and tears are streaming from my eyes.

"I say that we finish up our meal and wander through the woods for a little bit," I suggest.

"What time is the reaping again?"

"Noon. It's probably around two o'clock right now."

Dawn nods, and we eat in silence as everyone eats everything on their laps. I almost don't want to stop eating, but when I look at my lap, the food is all gone. Dang. I wait for Trevor and Dawn to finish up their own food, and when they do, we hide the basket in a bush and set off to our right. As our journey goes on, we happen to run into our favorite Peacekeeper (yes, we have a favorite).

"You guys shouldn't be out in the woods on reaping day," he says with a serious tone, and then he chuckles. "I'm only kidding. Everyone's out here today. Good luck to the three of you!" He goes back to whatever he was doing.

Trevor scoffs. "Peacekeepers…trying to socialize with us...who do they think they are?"

"Um, Trevor, they think they are Peacekeepers. Trying to keep the peace." He stares at me like I'm stupid, and then he laughs.

"Good point!"

We wander some more, and eventually we run into some of our schoolmates. Unfortunately, being me, every girl at school thinks I'm cute. They want nothing more than for me to ask them on a date. As I glance over them, I see them blush, giggle, blow kisses at me, but there's only one girl I've got my eye on. "Hey Damon, there's Hope Vile over there."

"Shush!" I say. I've liked her for as long as I can remember. But I have no idea if she likes me back. "I think now is a good time for us to leave. It's ten o'clock, and we need to get ready for the reaping." Dawn and Trevor nod, and we quickly turn on our heels and run off (good, I think some of those girls were ready to tackle me and plant my face with kisses).

Within half an hour, we arrive back at the spot we ate at earlier. Trevor grabs his basket and waves goodbye to us as we head our separate ways.

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><p>A warm bath in the bathroom awaits me when I arrive home. I wash my hair and body, enjoying the feel of the water running over me. When I'm done, I wrap a towel around my body and head over to my room.<p>

But not before I run into Dawn.

"Damon! Jeez, put some clothes on!" She covers her eyes with one hand and waves me away with the other.

"I'm wearing my underwear."

"Ugh! Just go!" I laugh as she throws a stray pencil at me. I dodge it, and quickly take off to my room before something worse is thrown at me.

Once I've arrived, I take off the towel. And then, I notice that my mother has ironed and laid out some clothes for me. It's my usual reaping outfit, a long-sleeved white button down shirt (I usually roll my sleeves up to just below my elbow) and black slacks. As I slip into the clothing, the feeling that something bad will happen today returns. Hopefully, it's not the reaping. Once I'm dressed, I slip into some shoes and comb out my still wet hair. And then, I look at myself in the mirror.

I look pretty dang snazzy.

Nodding in approval, I take one last look at my room (I might not see it again, after all), and make my way to the kitchen. Dawn is waiting there in her reaping outfit, a plain black dress, and my mother and father are there too. "Ready, son?" Father asks, patting my back. "The reaping is in thirty minutes, and it's a twenty minute walk."

"Sure am. Let's get this over with."

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><p>When we arrive at the town square, Dawn and I hug our parents, and then make our way over to the designated area for fifteen-year-olds. Trevor is there already, and he waves when he sees us. The three of us talk for a few minutes as the mayor and our lone victor, Harmony, finish preparing everything. And then, he taps the microphone. "The reaping will now begin. Please welcome our district escort, Chanel."<p>

A happy, bubbly woman, Chanel bounces over to the microphone. _Literally. _"Oh, its that time of year again! Happy Hunger Games!" She introduces our mayor, Mayor Folly, and our victor, Harmony, who won the first Hunger Games. Then she goes into a deep talk about how Panem rose from the ashes of our ancestors, the Dark Days, basic things that we learn in school.

"But enough talk! Let's get to the reaping! Ladies first!" Chanel reaches into the female lottery, and I squeeze Dawn's hand. _Not Dawn, not Dawn, not Dawn. _

"Jayla Bane!"

A sigh of relief escapes my lips as a tall, slender girl of eighteen walks on stage, her short brown hair bouncing around her head. Jayla takes her spot just as Chanel shouts, "Now, time for the boys!" She reaches into the bowl, takes out a slip of paper… "Damon Marx!"

Oh good, it's not me.

_Wait. _

Did she say _my _name?

Trevor nudges me, a grim expression on his face, and I realize it's true. I'm going to the Capitol. Gulping tightly, I make my way to the stage. And when I'm standing on stage, and Chanel is announcing us as official tributes, reality hits. I really am going to the Games. Why couldn't I have just dropped dead right there? A quick, easy death instead of a long, dragged out one in the Games? Chanel's voice is drowned out by the sound of my heart pounding. It's only when she gestures for me to shake hands with Jayla that I stop panicking. But the look in Jayla's eyes as she shakes my hand is deadly. It's like she's already putting a bounty on my head.

And then, we are rushed into the Hall of Justice. I'm escorted to a small room where my family and friends can see me. The first people to visit are my parents. Mother has tears streaming from her eyes, and Father sheds silent tears. It's then, watching my parents' cry, that I break. Sobs erupt from my throat as I rush into their open arms. I seem to cry for hours, though it's only been a few minutes.

"Damon," my father says. I'm a tiny but taller than him, so I look down ever so slightly, wiping a couple of tears away. "You are a strong boy. You can do this. We have faith in you."

Mother pulls me into her arms, and it feels almost like she is cradling me. "Honey, I love you so much. I will always love you." I nod slightly, and the three of us go sit on the couch in silence. We remain in this position until the Peacekeepers come in. After one last hug and kiss, my parents are gone, and next comes in Trevor.

"I'm so sorry, Damon. I wanted to volunteer for you but my body just couldn't find the strength to do it and…" He trails off again and looks down, a silent tear sliding down his cheek.

"It's okay. I wouldn't have let you go in my place, anyways." He smiles grimly, and then his face turns serious.

"I want you to have some sort of game plan when you go into the arena, so this is what you should do." I listen carefully to Trevor's ideas, taking mental notes. He recommends I go into it alone. My strongest weapons are bows and arrows and knives. And just as he is about to continue, the Peacekeepers come in. I shake his hand, give him a hug, and await my next guest.

Dawn bursts into the room, her eyes red and puffy. "Damon!" She nearly tackles me to the ground in a gigantic bear hug. I pull her closer, never wanting to let my twin sister go. When she pulls away, I stare at her features. The same black straight hair as me. The same ice blue eyes. The same olive skin. I take her in; she will be my inspiration for returning home. "Damon, you have to come home. If you don't I don't know what I'll do and—" She stops as a new round of tears pour out of her eyes.

"Shh," I whisper. "I'll come home." I don't even feel right saying it. I don't think I'll be returning to this place. "I'll do everything in my power to return."

She wipes away her tears before she pulls something off her arm, grabs mine, and ties it to my wrist. "Take this with you as your token." I recognize it immediately.

"I can't take the bracelet Mother gave you for your birthday."

"No, I insist. It will remind you of home."

I stare into her eyes, trying to read them. And she's desperate. "Okay. I will." The Peacekeepers open the door. I bring Dawn in for one last hug, and I kiss her cheek. "I love you, sis." And then she's gone.

The next few minutes pass in a blur. I'm taken to the train and assigned a room for the overnight trip. But I don't go to my room just yet. Instead, I stay in the first room. It has lots of windows on both walls. The train jolts, and we start moving. My eyes stay locked on the forests of District 9 until they are gone from my sight. I don't know if I'll ever see my home again.

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><p><strong>SO! What did you think? Intriguing? Boring? Leave a review and tell me!<strong>

**NEWS!: I won't be updating this story or Without My Mockingjay for a while. But anytime I have some free time, I'll start working on an update!**

**~PureAtHeart **


	2. Chapter 2

**AND AFTER A LONG HIATUS, I HAVE RETURNED TO THIS STORY. Yay! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Hunger Games.**

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><p>I am still looking out the window, staring at the place I last saw the forests even though they disappeared long ago, when a sudden knock at the door brings me back to my senses. "Come in." Immediately, I regret saying the words. It's Jayla.<p>

"Look here, Squirt. I'm not going to let you live. The second I run into you, even if it's at the Cornucopia, I'll kill you with no doubts and no regrets."

I stand, and even then, even when I tower over her, her eyes are like knives. "What did I do to make you hate me?"

"You are preventing me from going home. You have as much of a chance to win as I do. And trust me, I don't plan on letting you go home that easily."

Our bodies are inches away from each other when Chanel bursts into the room. "Oh, goodie! You two are getting along so well!"

Getting along? You don't even know.

"Dinner will be served in a few hours. I'll call you two over the train's intercom and tell you to make your way to the dining cart!" As she bounces away, I hear her mumble something about how handsome I am. Great. Just great. I can't even get the girl of my dreams to like me, and suddenly, the Capitol people adore me.

Another person enters the room, and I see our mentor, Delta, out of the corner of my eye (I'm still glaring down at Jayla). "Hey, you two. Break it up."

Jayla glares at me for a few seconds longer and says, "I was just leaving." And she takes off.

Delta watches her exit the room, and then comes over to me. "My partner tribute was just like her. Don't let her get to you; distractions will only hurt you in the arena." She takes a seat. "Now then, let me get a good look at you." She glances at my body, up and down, and then says, "You must hunt a lot."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Then you're strongest weapon is a bow and arrow?" I nod. "Okay. When you are in training, be sure to stay clear of that station until your private session with the Gamemakers. And then let the real fun begin." She grins, stands, and nods to me she walks out. I sigh, and make my way to my compartment.

Once there, I strip myself of my reaping outfit and throw it to a corner of the room, not even able to look at it anymore. I walk over to the fairly large dresser on one side of the room and rummage through the drawers until I find a pair of black mesh-feeling shorts and a black cotton shirt (I'm not depressed; black is just the only color clothing in the drawers). And then I lay on the gigantic bed, large enough to hold my entire family, and stare up at the ceiling with my hands folded across my chest.

So much has happened to me on this horrible day, and I haven't had much time to process it. I mean, earlier today I was having the time of my life with my sister and best friend in the woods of District 9. And then, I was reaped. I've already made an enemy, even when I did nothing to her. My life has fallen apart in a single day.

But the worst part was telling Dawn that I'd win the Games and return to District 9. I can hunt, yes, but I've never hunted a person. And I'm not a Career tribute. Those from Districts 1, 2, and 4 who have trained for the Games all their lives could kill me in a heartbeat. No, I don't think I'll make it out of that arena. Alive, at least.

I'm trying not to feel or show any signs of weakness, but my body just feels physically and emotionally drained. So, I curl up into a ball, close my eyes, and drift to sleep fairly quickly.

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><p>"Damon! It's time for dinner! Come to the dining cart as soon as possible!"<p>

My eyes slowly open, and I moan. Rubbing them sleepily, I glance at the clock on the side table. 6:19. The official televising of the reapings begins at seven o'clock. _I guess I should get up. _Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I literally roll off and shift my weight to my feet; I yawn and stretch my arms above my head like a cat, and then I leave the room and take off towards the dining cart.

Apparently, I'm not the only one who is late. Jayla isn't here yet when I enter the cart, aromas of stews and meats filling the air. I take my seat on the far end of the table. Delta sits on the opposite side. A few minutes later Jayla walks in (and gives me a good death stare), followed by Chanel. "Okay, everyone! Help yourselves!" she shouts cheerfully.

Gladly. I grab my plate and head over to the table where the food sits. And awe strikes me from inside. So many varieties of stews and meats, fruits and side dishes, lay steaming in fancy china in front of me. For just a second, I forget my terrible, no-good day. But, my worries return as quickly as they vanished. So, I just grab a couple slices of baked chicken with orange zest, two rolls with balls of butter, and a bowl of vegetable soup before sitting down. Once everyone in the cart is seated with piles of food in front of them, a woman looking to be around twenty years old walks in, a pitcher of water in her hand. She walks around the entire table, filling glasses. When she gets to me, I look her straight in her dull gray eyes and say, "Thank you."

The woman jumps slightly, but causally continues her work before exiting the cart. The door closes behind her, and I hear Chanel shout, "Damon! You don't talk to Avoxes!"

An Avox. That's why she didn't respond. I've learned about them in school. The Avoxes are criminals whose tongues are removed from their mouths, and they are forced to serve the Capitol for the rest of their lives. I couldn't even begin to imagine the crimes they must've committed…

"I'm sorry, Chanel. I didn't know," I say. And then, I try and focus my attention on my food and block her ranting out. I take my first bite of Capitol food, the chicken, and am immediately struck.

I've never tasted anything so good, so _rich. _Flavors I've never even known are bursting on my tongue, and it takes all my willpower not to wolf the entire meal down. Through my peripheral vision, I can see that Jayla is trying her hardest as well. Within minutes, the chicken, soup, and rolls are gone. I end up stuffing myself sick. It feels like my stomach is about to explode, and dinner hadn't even gone on for half an hour. Jayla did the exact same thing as I did; I can see her struggling to keep everything down, too. Delta didn't even take notice to us, but Chanel did. She stares at us like freaks of nature. But I don't care. I've never tasted food that delicious in my life.

A sudden alarm rings throughout the car, causing me to jump. Chanel gets jittery again, clapping her hands together multiple times and standing up. "It's time for the reaping! _Finally! _Everyone follow me!" She bounces out of the cart. Once again, she literally _bounces._

Delta is the first to follow her, walking like the intensity of the Capitol food didn't affect her at all. Moving like a huge obese person, I slowly push my chair out and rise to my feet. I find it hard to walk at first, but I notice that Jayla is encountering the same problems. Well, I'd obviously like to be liked by the Capitol more than her. So, I build up my willpower and stride forward, hiding the fact that I want to vomit everything up.

A few train cars and stray Avoxes later, I finally arrive at the TV car. Chanel has already taken her seat on the left side of the couch. Delta is on the opposite side. I spot a chair in the corner of the room and quickly take it before Jayla even has a chance to walk in the room. Chanel flips the TV on.

The first things we see are the two Hunger Games hosts. The one on the left is Cassius O'Donnel; he's in charge of interviewing the tributes. The other one is Lizmet Morena; she is the one who speaks to the tributes while in the arena.

"Hello, everyone, and welcome to the first event of the 26th Annual Hunger Games!" Lizmet greets.

"We're excited about this year's tributes. Let's take a look at the reapings from all around Panem," adds Cassius.

The screen turns dark, and the Capitol seal appears onscreen. It disappears once more, and instead of rereading the Treaty of Treason, a video is shown, discussing what the Hunger Games is and how it came to be. Once it ends, the reapings begin. Only a few tributes really stick out to me. A boy from District 1, who goes by the name of Raven, volunteers. The other remaining five Careers, all from Districts 1, 2, and 4, also intimidate me. As their reapings show, I'm pretty sure I see Jayla smirk and sit up straighter.

I guess she wants to join them.

Before I know it, District 9 is up. I watch as Jayla strides up to the stage with pride. Then, I'm called. Though my face was emotionless, my eyes were screaming with fear. The only other person that sticks in my mind is the girl from 10, named Gwen, a cute sixteen year old with auburn hair and forest green eyes. I can't help but think that she's one of the prettiest girls I've ever seen. Then, Lizmet and Cassius are back onscreen.

"Well, Cassius, it looks like we're in for quite a treat!"

"Indeed! Did any tributes stick out to you?"

Lizmet thinks for a moment. "I've got my eye on a couple, but I'm going to wait and see how they do in training!"

"Great idea. Ladies and gentlemen, we're going to take a break. When we return, Lizmet and I will be discussing our favorite arenas so far!"

The television shuts off, and Chanel stands up. "Everyone, off to your rooms now! You'll find that a tray of food has been placed on your desk in case you get hungry. I'll see everyone in the morning." I glance at the clock. Even though it's not even 7:30 yet, she's already sending Jayla and me to our rooms. About five minutes later, I make it to the back of the train, where my room is.

My reaping outfit is still strewn in a corner of the room. I reach into the pants pocket and pull out the leather bracelet that Dawn gave me as my token. I set it on the dresser, and then stride over to the bathroom.

Needless to say, it's the biggest bathroom I've ever been in. The sink itself is huge, with dozens of face and hand soaps lining the counter. There's an even bigger bathtub, in addition to tons of bath salts and oils. And the shower… The shower is attached to a touchscreen thing that allows you to pick the temperature of the water, the types of soaps you want and the scent, _everything._ Having absolutely no idea how to work this thing, I select random options and hop in. The water is very warm, and I'm drowned in a mysterious pink soap that smells oddly of fruit.

_Hm, _I think to myself. _Maybe I should have read those options. _By the time my shower is over and the dryers dry my skin, I look like a big, muscular raisin. Laughing to myself, I hop out and slip into undergarments and a pair of pajama pants (I've always slept shirtless). Then, I leave the bathroom and take a seat at the window, watching the various districts pass by.

In every single district, I know that most families are celebrating, having a feast that only happens once a year. But there are two families, as well as family friends, who stay in, have a normal meal. They try and figure out how to survive these weeks to come. Unfortunately, my family is one of these this time.

As I bite into a roll on the food tray, I think about the competition. The Careers…I've only ever seen them during the Victory Tour. And trust me, you don't want to mess with them. I know to stay far away from them during training, and even further away in the arena.

But as my thoughts wander, I continue going back to Gwen. The determination in her step, the fear in her eyes that she refused to show. She's going to be tough to beat. Unless I consider making an alliance with her. And by what I've seen in my years watching the Games, you are more likely to make it to the Final Eight if you are in an alliance.

I drop the roll onto the tray and move to the bed, slipping under the covers. One thing I notice in my room is the television at the front, with a remote sitting beside the leather bracelet and a strange looking lamp on the nightstand. I grab the remote and flip the television on.

The first thing that pops up is a Capitol news station that discusses the reapings. The news anchor says that they are going to go live to a reporter; the camera switches. A man with abnormal orange hair appears onscreen, and he immediately begins interviewing citizens walking the street, asking who their favorite tributes are.

"I love Raven from District 1!"

"My favorite is the girl from District 4!"

And then a few comments come that really shock me.

"I love the Career tributes, but I also like the boy from District 9."

"The boy from District 9! He has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen!"

After a couple more supporting comments, I change stations; most of the comments about me had to do with "how beautiful" I am. And, trust me, I don't want any Capitol people flocking all over me for my looks.

On this other station, they are replaying the 25th Hunger Games, where we had to vote for our tributes. I was really glad that the boy and girl I voted on didn't get picked. I would have felt awful if they were. The arena last year was a maze. A huge hedge maze, not a tree in sight. Tributes slept in the hedges until the final showdown.

I flip through the rest of the stations for the next hour or so, sort of paying attention. I'm really just thinking about my family, back in District 9, and about my friends. What are they doing right now? How are they coping with this?

Sighing, I shut the television off and reach to turn off the lamp. But then my eyes land on the leather bracelet. I immediately think of my twin sister and quickly slip it on, brushing my fingers along the brown material.

I'm going to try my best to make it home. No matter what I have to do, I _will _return to Trevor and Dawn. I swear it.

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><p><strong>Train ride chapters are very boring and very filler. I apologize.<strong>

**NEWS!: I think that instead of writing a sequel to Without My Mockingjay, I'm going to allow you guys to submit ideas for one-shots, both during the story and after. Hopefully, I'll think of one quickly and write it out so all of you know its up! AND. I have to start summer reading soon. Aw.**

**RANDOM QUESTION!: I know I ask this all the time, but what book are you reading? I'm reading Delirium by Lauren Oliver!**

**~PureAtHeart**


	3. Author's Note

**Dear readers,**

**…hey. I apologize for my absence. Let's just say I'm not inspired to write fanfiction anymore. I've got an awesome original novel in the works, but I have very little time to write it. I could go on forever with excuses. I'll leave anything that I posted up on the site, but there probably won't be anything new (unless I get inspired).**

**Fanfiction was such an awesome experience. It got me started. I loved getting critiques and tips. It helped me improve on my writing. I even finished my first story on here, even if I didn't own the characters. That counts for something!**

**Don't worry. You all will see me on the shelves in the future! It's been a good run. Until next time!**

**~PureAtHeart**


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